Description:
<jats:p> Excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) balance is essential for normal neural development, behavior and cognition. E/I imbalance leads to a variety of neurological disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. NMDA receptors (NMDARs) regulate AMPAR-mediated excitatory and GABA<jats:sub>A</jats:sub>R-mediated inhibitory synaptic transmission, suggesting that NMDARs play an important role in the establishment and maintenance of the E/I balance. In this review, we briefly introduced NMDARs, AMPARs and GABA<jats:sub>A</jats:sub>Rs, summarized the current studies on E/I balance mediated by NMDARs, and discussed the current advances in NMDAR-mediated AMPAR and GABA<jats:sub>A</jats:sub>R development. Specifically, we analyzed the role of NMDAR subunits in the establishment and maintenance of E/I balance, which may provide new therapeutic strategies for the recovery of E/I imbalance in neurological disorders. </jats:p>